Through the Eyes of the Blind
by writeitloud
Summary: When Iggy gets a new power and Erasers start attacking and taking normal people, the Flock must find a way to stop Itex from restarting the experiments. Starts as if Fang and Max had never gotten together. Still FAX.
1. Boom

**Authors Note: So, I've been writing a story, and I sorta turned it into a FanFiction that would work with Maximum Ride. I don't know if it's any good with MR. I kinda think it is and isn't at the same time.**

**I try to make my chapters long, but interesting so you don't get bored. Lemme know if you think they have to much "fluff" or whatever. Just lemme know anything you think; anything for improvement. **

**Oh, and total disclaimer. I don't own any of these characters or Maximum Ride. That all belongs to the brilliant mind of James Patterson.**

Iggy's POV

"Max is gonna kick your ass," I said to Gazzy.

"But.. But.. I-i didn't.. I don't know what went wrong. I've never messed up before. It shouldn't have exploded.." He sounded like he was about to hyperventilate. I wondered if it was as bad as it had sounded, and well, smelled.

"The place smells like an ash tray. How far did the blast go?" I questioned.

"The kitchen is trashed. You were right; Max is going to kick my ass." Gazzy said.

"Hey! Language, Gasman!" Max screamed from the other side of the door. "Wait, what's that.. IGGY, GAZZY! I"M GOING TO.."

Gasman's POV

Max's eyes opened as wide as ever, and her jaw dropped as she opened the door and looked at the kitchen. The place was covered in soot and ash. Everything was going to need to be replaced. She didn't even have to worry about the door as she walked into the living room and saw the same thing. The door was clear across the house.

"Max..I-i'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to, I don't know what went wrong. It just caught fire, Iggy and I ran outside before the blast but.. I-i-i'm sorry.." I stammered, trying not to cry. If I cried Max would just be more pissed off later.

"What the heck? What happened? Was it a bomb or a fire? Are you guys okay? It looks like one of those places you see on TV, you know. When they go on raids trying to arrest bad guys. Or like when that one kid thought he was setting of a stink bomb but it was a real bomb, and like the whole school was shut down for weeks. Like it said on the news a few months ago. Remember guys.. Wow, this place is trashed. Dr. Martinez is going to kill you..."

"Nudge! Ears! Bleeding! SHUT UP!" Iggy yelled.

"Max, say something," Angel said, she sounded scared. I'd hate to hear Max's thoughts right now.

I looked for Fang, but he was simply just leaning against the door way, expressionless, as if this was completely normal, and how the kitchen always looked.

"Everyone. Outside. Now." Max growled. She was pissed.

Fang's POV

The rest of the Flock was outside, sitting in awkward silence. Even Nudge had been keeping her mouth shut. I wandered upstairs to Max's room. The door was closed and since Max was mad I knocked. "Go away," she grumbled from inside. I opened the door and went and stood next to the bed till she rolled over and looked at me.

"What were they thinking?!" she screamed. I shrugged. She glared. "What am I thinking. Expecting even 5 syllables from Mr. Tall, Dark, and Broody over here."

I frowned. "That's not nice.." I mumbled, going for the guilt. It didn't work.

"Four syllables, improvement I guess." And with that she rolled over to face the wall opposite me.

"Max, it'll be okay. Since when do you fret a little destruction?" I said, trying to lighten her mood.

"Since we're living in my mother's house right now." She growled, and turned around. "Now why don't you go find another Red Haired Wonder to bother?" She said getting off the bed to look me square in the eye.

We were inches apart but I still had a good head on her, which I didn't mind at all. Especially right now, since I knew Max hated it.

"Why? You don't want me to kiss it and make it all better, so you can run away again?" I snapped, suppressing a twinge of pain when I saw the reaction from Max's face.

She flushed red with embarrassment, but there was more hurt in her eyes than anything. She shoved me away and turned towards the door. She was practically sprinting away; I could here her dart down the stairs.

Max's POV

_Don't think about it. Don't cry. Ignore him, Fang just wants to get under my skin. He just wants to hurt me, to let me know he doesn't feel the same. Leave it alone. It's not safe. He's not safe. _I darted out the door and went to sit with the rest of the flock.

"Look, it's alright. I'll talk to my mom. I'll handle it, but from now on, no more bombs in the house, okay?" Gazzy and Iggy nodded like bobble heads, and Gazzy let a huge breath. I wonder how long he'd been holding that in. Gasman was lucky. I was letting him off the hook, because I need all of them to forget what Fang had just said to me. By now he was standing at the door looking down on us.

Looking down on me might be more correct way of putting it. He was staring at me with an comprehensible expression on his face. Not like usual though. Something was different, he was trying to hide his emotions. Trying so hard, I was almost afraid he'd turn to stone. He continued to stare at me, and his gaze hurt worse than the words he had spit at me moments ago.

_It will be okay. Hold on Max_, I heard Angel in my mind.

Shit. She shouldn't be telling me it will be okay. She shouldn't be reassuring me. I'm the leader. I'm supposed to be strong. Could I be a bigger failure today? I get the house blown up, Fang hates me, Angel is the one that's being strong for me. That's not right.

All those thoughts buzzed in my head, but as if it makes any sense. I wasn't listening to them. I continued to stare and Fang, staring at me. But his eyes flickered to Angel who'd come to stand beside me. She was giving him a look so pissed off and angry, well, I was proud.

That seemed to break Fang. His face cracked. It showed raw pain. I was about to run to him. I wanted to hold him, and comfort him, and tell him everything. Tell him how important he was. But that's when I heard a sound so horrible, I could feel the pain. Iggy was screaming on the ground, holding his head his nose bleeding. His neck had no expiration date, but it seemed worse. It seemed as if he would rather be dead than be feeling like he was.

I rushed to the ground. I help his head in my lap. I tried to comfort him, but I had no idea what to do. He seemed so broken, and then he went limp. His face expressionless and his eyes staring out at nothing. A sob escaped my throat when I felt for a pulse.


	2. Fever

**Author's Note: So. This chapter was better the first time I wrote it. But two and three got lost.  
I wanted this to be a good chapter, but I figured you would want to know Iggy's not dead. So sorry it's not that great of writing and what not.  
Anyway. Read and Review, please? Oh, and sorry it's so short.  
**

Max POV

A sob escaped my throat when I felt for a pulse. Iggy was alive. Pale, barely breathing, in a cold sweat, and most likely very close to death, but he was alive. I heard Angel crying, and Nudge going on endlessly somewhere in the background, but nothing seemed to register. "Help me get him in the house. Up to his room," I demanded to no one, but Fang lifted him and flew up towards the house. _When did he even get down here?_ I remember thinking. But I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. I could deal with our personal issues later. When Iggy is okay.

Up in Iggy's room, I ran a cold wash cloth over his face, trying to cool him down. "Angel, get me the phone. Nudge go get some Advil, in case he's in pain when he comes to. Gazzy go get a glass of water and some ice." They all ran out of the room to do what they were told. _Of course they would wait till someone might be dying to start to listen._

Fang walked into the room then, carrying the phone, Advil, and glass of water and ice. "I told the kids to wait downstairs for us to see what is going on."

"Alright," I said, trying to aside our current fight. "Call my mom and tell her what happened and to get home, now. I need to go to the bathroom. Watch him." With that I stood up and went down the hall and slammed the bathroom door behind me. I turned on the sink and then sat on the floor, with my head in my hands, trying to think. What had happened? Iggy was always the dependable one. And then the obvious dawned on me. Without Iggy, the Flock probably wouldn't survive. I might have sat on the bathroom floor all after noon if I hadn't heard three things happen all at once. My mom getting out of the car and screeching when she saw the kitchen; something heavy, hitting the floor hard in Iggy's room; and Fang yelling out for help.

Fang POV

One second Iggy was laying on the bed barely breathing, the next he was having some sort of seizure. His arms were flailing and his eyes bugged open. They were blood shot and tearing up. "Max! Come help!" Iggy flipped on the floor and then stop flailing.

Max ran into the room, shortly followed by Dr. Martinez. I went to pick Iggy up and put him back onto the bed but he pushed me off and said, "Dude, uh, personal space."

"Iggy! Lay down, how are you feeling?" Max said. Iggy got up and sat on the edge of the bed. Putting his head in his hands he started rubbing his temples.

"I-I'm okay. Major headache though. I feel like I haven't slept or eaten in a week," he replied.

"What happened?!" Dr. Martinez snapped, not meanly though, just as if she was under a lot of pressure.

Max stood and walked closer to her mom. "Well, the explosion downstairs was an accident. Gazzy and Iggy sort of, well, made a mistake and uh.. boom." Max made an explosion motion with her hands. "Then we were outside and Iggy started screaming, and his nose was bleeding and then he just passed out. That's when we brought him up here and called you." Max took a deep breath. She looked like she was under too much pressure too. I knew this wasn't easy.

I looked down at the floor. Trying to think of some way to help all of this. Dr. Martinez stepped towards Iggy and started to check him out. He was looking a little better, but you could still tell he was pretty sick; and no one in the Flock ever gets sick.

"Go get me the thermometer and hand me the Advil." Max rushed out of the room, so I handed her the Advil. She took it looking at me straight in the eye. "It'll be okay, Fang." She was so motherly. Max was lucky. I'm glad she had finally found someone like that. I thought that maybe I should tell her how important she and Ella really were to Max. Max wasn't likely to be talking about all her feelings; mom or not. But keeping my cool, I simply nodded and stepped back towards the door.

Max came in then with the thermometer and handed it to Dr. Martinez. A minute later she spoke again. "Iggy lay down and try to rest, I'm going to talk to Max an Fang out in the hallway."

I don't know if Iggy even heard her, he was unconscious again. I couldn't tell if he was asleep or passed out, and I wasn't sure I wanted to.

Out in the hall Dr. Martinez folded her arms across her chest and looked at the ground; not a good sign. She then reached out and put her hand lightly on Max's shoulder, and used her other to nervously brush hair back behind her ear. "It doesn't look good. His fever is too high, 103, barely missing 104. If he doesn't get to a hospital and get the right drugs, he could die."

Max let out a gasp that closely resembled a sob. She looked down at her feet, blinking rapidly. She was trying not to cry. "I'm going to run some ice over his forehead. Then we need to get him in the car and back to my office. Hopefully, we'll have all the drugs we need there."

She turned to walk away and Max stood there looking lost as ever. "Max.." I wanted to comfort her, but I didn't know how. I reached out to touch her arm, but she jerked away.

"Just get the Flock in the van. I'll help my mom get Iggy downstairs." She stared me down, letting me know I wasn't forgiven, and that I'd have to work to be.

I nodded and walked away.

Max's POV

I walked back into Iggy's room and my mom looked over at me. "We'll make it okay. And you and Fang will make up." I gave her a smile. I love having mom, especially one new me so well.

"Yea.." I said. _Let's just hope Iggy's around when we do.._


	3. Waiting

**Max's POV**

The flock and I were sitting in the waiting room. Fang was standing in a corner, being Mr. Positive, of course. Gazzy and Angel were sitting next to each other, probably talking through thoughts. Angel looks scared, but like she was trying not to show it. It was silent. Nudge hasn't said a word. Not one word since, well since Iggy collapsed. She was going on and on, and then I think she noticed Iggy wasn't there to tell her to shut up..

I didn't know what to do. I always knew what to do, but not this time. I felt like I should be doing something, or fighting someone. There was nothing I could do.

I stood up and went outside to pace. I walked back and forth trying to figure out a plan. What had happened. I replayed the entire morning over and over in my head. Nothing seemed different with Iggy. He was acting fine. He was happy and okay. I was a wreck.

Fang. No, my god. Fang is what I'm thinking about when Iggy might.. die. I forced myself to think about. To think of life without Iggy. The Flock would probably starve. I would be a basket case. I need Iggy. He's the only one who can get Nudge to shut up. What would we do without him?

That's just it though. We wouldn't do anything. Without Iggy, we wouldn't make it.

I gasped and stopped walking. I gripped the mirror to a car in the parking lot so hard it tore off. No alarm went off so I just dropped it helplessly. Tears were in my eyes, I kept blinking to hold them back. I needed to be inside. I needed to be taking care of everyone. That was me. The dependable Max. There was always something that needed to be done. Get the Flock fed. Stop Gazzy and Iggy from blowing up the world. Save Angel. Save Fang. Save Ari. Lose Ari... Worry about Brigid. Worry about Mr. Chu. I didn't want this. I didn't want this life.

I wanted my family safe. Once and for all. No Itex, no global warming. Nothing, just a normal life with my Flock. Was that really too much to want. I was pacing again. I don't know when that had started. I had found my way so a patch of dead grass off the side.

I heard footsteps. I wasn't alone anymore. I took a deep breath, getting myself together for whoever it was. I whirled around to see Fang staring at me; expressionless. Shocker.

"Hey," He said. I stared at him incredulously. Hey? Really? That's what he had to say, hey?!

I was furious, and it was burying my sadness and desperation about Iggy.

"What do you want?" I said, trying to make my face expressionless as his.

"I just wanted to see how you were."

"I'm horrible, thanks for asking." Then walked by him, back towards the building.

"Max," he paused, then continued, "I'm worried too." I stopped and turned my head back to look at him. Fang looked desperate. I couldn't stand it. I looked down, trying to figure out what I should do. I wanted to hug him, but that might be weird. I didn't know what to think. Ever since our date, we just, I don't know.

I gave in. I stepped back toward him and through my arms around his neck and laid my head on his chest. I hated how much taller he was then me. His arms came around my waist, and his hands pressed flat and firmly against my back. I could feel his head bending down, hiding his face in my hair. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, giving in and enjoying Fang holding me.

"Fang, I.." I didn't know what I was trying to say. So I just told him what I'd been thinking for awhile, "I miss you."

"I'm right here." He said, though I knew he knew what I had meant.

"I missed how we were. Like back before the flyboy attack.." I swallowed, hoping he understood I was talking about our date. If he did, he ignored it.

He drew back from our embrace and looked down at me threw his bangs. "Max, you know how important you are to me, right?" I sighed and nodded. I desperately wanted to figure out what he was thinking. I studied every curve, and wrinkle on his face. Nothing. It was so frustrating and depressing I thought I might almost start crying.

I clenched my jaw and took a step back from him. With my hands gripping in fists at my sides, I stared at my feet. "Sorry to bother you." I mumbled, suddenly feeling foolish.

"I came out here, remember?" Fang stated simply.

"Yea, but you don't want to have to think about me. We should be with the Flock. We should be with Iggy." That got some sadness to show in his eyes. I would have been smug about it, if it weren't so heartbreaking.

"You're right. I shouldn't be thinking about you." And with that he put his arms around me once more, gripping me so fast and tight, I barely had time to react. But I put my arms under his this time. This was a good moment. I felt horrible about it happening now, during the middle of all of this. Iggy being sick, and the entire flock not knowing what to do with themselves. And here I am, feeling happy about this stupid hug, that Fang or I would probably throw back up in someone's face somewhere down the line. I'm disgusting. But I love him, I love everyone in the flock. But I needed Fang more than I needed anyone else.

The flock needed Iggy, so I did too, not that that was the only reason. But Fang, I alone needed him more than anyone else, I think.

I placed the bottom of my chin on his chest, with my head looking straight up to see his face, and I think I caught the glimpse of a tear in his eye. Which of course made tears start to form in mine too.

"Now, now.. Don't get all sappy on me.." Fang's snide remark showed the true return of my best friend. He wiped a tear that had fallen on my cheek as he stepped out of our hug. "Do you want to go back inside?"

"No..I'm- I'm afraid if I go back inside, they'll tell me he's dead." I sighed again. It was scary for me to admit that to myself, so saying it out loud to Fang was like jumping off a cliff without wings.

I stepped over to stand next to him, looking back at my mom's office, and sat down. Fang followed and I began pulling the dead grass in front of my crossed legs out of the dirt and tearing it to shreds. It was rather therapeutic. Fang and I sat there in silence for awhile. Looking at my mom's office, looking at each other. Anything to avoid going back inside. I'm sure my mom was still with Iggy, if she had come out at all, someone from the Flock would have come and got us.

"What are we gunna do if.. if he doesn't come out of this okay?" I said.

"We're not going to have to find out." Fang replied. He sounded pretty confident about that, so confident I almost believed him, without a doubt. Almost.

- | -

After a little bit longer of humoring me and sitting outside, Fang stood up and offered me his hand. Something about the look on his face and the way he stood though, I knew it wasn't an option of going back inside. He was going to make me no matter what I did.

So with a sigh and a slight glare towards Fang we were up and back in the waiting room. Thankfully, my mom seemed to be having a slow day. She had sent her receptionist home and no one else was in the waiting room. Just the Flock and I. Just Iggy and my mom. It helped us relax a little more I think, but this was still really hard on everyone; that much was obvious.

Fang and I were sitting next to each other in the living room now. No one seemed to have really noticed we'd been gone. It was another hour or so when my mom finally came out of wherever Iggy was in the back. "Max and Fang, can you come back here please?" My mom said leaning out of the doorway.

The semi-hospital smell was stronger back there. Fang and I both tensed, but tried not to show it. Iggy was lying on a table, that my mom had put a sheet over, but still looked very uncomfortable. It was the best that she could do though, and I knew she would do whatever she could to make it better.

"Max, I don't know what to say. I've run every test and nothing seems to be physically wrong with him except for his climbing fever. I gave him some medication but it's continuing to climb. If it doesn't settle back down, it could be fatal."

Fatal? As in dead? I stood there. I didn't say anything. I didn't move. I didn't breathe. I didn't know what I could do. But I had to do something. Think, Max. What will make this okay, what will make this better. "Oh.." Oh? Oh that's brilliant Max. My face probably looked like I was self loathing myself and the world. Which I was, I was angry, depressed, confused, and exhausted.

My face was wet. I was crying. I was sobbing I couldn't help it. Fang stood there for a moment, looking, not shocked, but wondering. I think on how to comfort me.

He settled for yet another hug. If I was going to keep up being this needy Fang was probably going to run for the hills. But I didn't care at that moment. I fell into him, I didn't know what to do. I thought that I might pass out. It was never this bad before. There was always a problem that we could fix, that we could fight to stop. This time there was nothing. Iggy was just dying and there was nothing, I, or anyone else, could do about it.

- | -

**Author's Note: Sorry I've been so bad about updating every other day. But from now on I will be, as long as I get a decent amount of reviews. I was on vacation, and still am, but now I'm with family, so they don't really care what I do, and I try to avoid them as much as possible. AND. The next few chapters will be a little longer I'm hoping.  
**

**This story had a definite place where it was going when it started, but the more I wrote it, the more I hated it. So I deleted everything from chapter 3 and on. And I'm rewriting. And trust me, that's for the best.**

**Iggy is not going to die! Let me make that clear. Let me know if you think there should be some Iggy/Nudge a few chapters down the line.**

**READ AND REVIEW! Please?**


	4. Hope for the Hopeless

**Author's Note: Okay, so this is a seriously good chapter, no matter what anyone says. I took almost all of this from another story I'm going to post on . At least all the Fax stuff.**

**Review please. You guys make me sad when I get nothing.  
**

Max's POV

Everything was a blur. Eventually, I fell into a silent and emotionally blank state. It felt as if my head was dead. I had no thoughts really, just sorta of a constant buzz and in the back of my mind there was a sense of urgency dulled and then ignored.

Fang left and hour ago to fly the Flock back to my mom's to get them in bed, and then was going to return to help get Iggy home. No one wanted to leave, but I told them it was best, and no one had the heart to argue with me. It probably had showed I'd been crying.

I sat alone in the waiting room; staring at my white knuckles because my hands were so tightly grasped together. I heard Fang landing softly and fold in his wings outside. He came in to sit besides me, but I didn't move. We sat there in a sad but comfortable silence for awhile.

After a few minutes though, I spoke up to break the silence and said, "Let's help my mom with Iggy."

He stood and silently followed me into the back room. A few minutes later Iggy had been loaded up into the car and we made our way silently back down the road to the house. My mother nervously fidgeted the whole way. I knew she wanted to some way to comfort me, but had no idea where to start. I mustered up some resemblance of a smile and she returned it, but she still knew the distress I was in.

We arrived at the house and saw all the lights were off. As we walked in through the kitchen I remembered the explosion from this after noon. I had gotten so mad at them over some destruction, and now Iggy could die. It seemed frivolous and just made me hate myself more. A tear silently slid down my blank face and Fang pretended not to notice.

Once Iggy was settled in Angel and Gazzy's room, on Gazzy's bed, my mom began to settle in Angel's. We said our good nights and I went to sit in the kitchen and pity myself. After 20 minutes of not returning upstairs, Fang came to join me. "What can I do, Max?" He said, though I could tell from his tone, he knew the question was pointless. There was nothing anyone could do it seemed.

However, I couldn't bring myself to tell him this. What little I could do was to give him something that he thought was helping the least bit. If someone told me something, I would do it 100 times over. "I could use some air. Fly with me."

He gave me a sad smile and nodded, offering me his hand to help me off the floor. We walked out side and I instantly snapped my wings open and took off. I waited a 100 feet of the ground and looked down at Fang. He looked so strong and beautiful in the moonlight; it pulled at my tired heart.

After a few seconds of staring at each other he flew up to join me and took my hand. We flew for awhile like that, our wings in sync with each other. I couldn't help but steal a few glances at how beautiful he looked when he flew. And I could have sworn he was doing the same too. Eventually we came to land in an open field. It was filled with white and purple flowers all tinted blue by the starry night's sky and moon.

Once again, we seemed to swim in a comfortable silence. The only sounds were crickets and the winds. Lightening bugs danced around us, and it dawned on me that everything about this place was romantic. Realization must have shown on my face, because Fang chuckled at me and said, "Finally coming out of that head of yours? Being silent is sorta my thing, but here you are, giving me a run for my money."

"Maybe I should be quiet more often." I said full of thought, looking out at the field away from him.

He made a short laugh, but there was nothing funny about it. "Why is that?"

"Because it makes you talk to me." I said turning to him, and bit the inside of my bottom lip. He looked down then, expressionless again. I sighed quietly, not surprised unfortunately, but finally showing how it much it bothers me.

"Don't do that." He spit, looking up to give me a sharp look.

"Do what?" I retorted.

He did a mock sigh and disappointed look and then continued, "Act like you're disappointed with who I am. This is me, and you've known that forever. You mean everything to me, and after everything today, your disappointment will throw me over the edge."

"Over the edge? What does that even mean?" I said, feeling anger stirring inside me, but also a flicker of happiness at him admitting he cared about me.

"You don't want to know," he said looking away from me.

"I'm not disappointed in you. I'm disappointed in me." I said, fighting back tears now.

He stiffened hearing them in my voice, but didn't turn to look back at me.

I crawled over to sit in front of him then. At first I didn't touch him, I just waited, but he still didn't turn to look at me, not even from the corner of his eye. I knew he knew how close we were. I could feel his body heat.

"Damn it!" I yelled frustrated; still no reaction. I sighed angrily and went to look out in the distance following his gaze. There was a small lake out in the distance and I then got an idea.

"Will you do something for me?" I asked, in an as interesting voice as I could muster up. He then turned.

"What will you do for me?" He challenged.

"Anything." I replied instantly, and I immediately saw the mischief in his eyes. I quickly added, "But me first."

He pondered that for a minute and then said, "Okay."

I grabbed his hand and stood up, Fang following behind. I snapped my wings back open and swam to a dock on the edge of the lake as quickly as possible. I then began stripping down to my bra and underwear. I know, very surprising, I don't know what came over me.

Unfortunately, this morning I had borrowed once of Ella's red lace bra's and underwear. Very..seductive. Oops.

I saw Fang's eyebrows spike and he said, "What exactly do I have to do here?"

"You're going swimming with me." I stated simply and the mischievous look spread rapidly over his face again.

He then nodded and removed his shirt, but paused at the button to his jeans. "Do you always dress like that under your clothes?" He pointed up and down and my body, with an obvious look in his eye.

I blushed, and decided not to answer by jumping head first of dock. I dove down deep enjoying the looks from the fish at the bottom. I debated staying underneath the water in definitely until Fang joined, but I wanted to make sure he was coming so I kicked off the ground and burst out of the water and the surface.

Fang was smiling. Smiling. It was beautiful. He was beautiful. And I didn't even care how weird it was for me to think that, although I did blush when I saw reading my face and he struck a pose.

"Get in!" I screamed.

By now he was down to his boxers and delightedly dove deep down into the water. I stayed at the top, waiting for him to resurface. I looked at the water below me, but when he didn't I frowned. Then suddenly, with so much power, he grabbed me by the legs and flew straight up into the sky. I, like such a girl, screamed and felt his chest vibrate as he chucked behind me.

I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck and legs around his waist. He looked surprised but didn't complain. I blushed more.

"Now, I did what you asked. My turn."

"Fine," I said, "But we have to go back in the water first."

"No. Me first," and he gripped me tighter.

I rolled my eyes, and blushed more, if that's even possible, but then nodded.

He smirked and stared at me for awhile, until it turned into a small, but genuine smile.

I looked down, side to side. Suddenly nervous, and self conscious. I squirmed in his arms a little bit.

"Stop." He whispered. "You're.."

"Ridiculous?" I suggested when he paused.

"Beautiful." He said sternly and with all seriousness.

I smiled slightly, suddenly feeling very warm and not so embarrassed. I instinctively pulled myself a little closer to him. "Okay," I said quietly, "Your turn."

He didn't smile. He didn't move. He didn't tense. He did nothing. There wasn't the usual guard up between us. His face was serious, but something about his eyes gave every feeling he'd ever had away. He was so beautiful, I couldn't help my lips spliting slightly and a sharp intake of breath escaped my breath.

Then his lips were on mine.

I closed whatever ever space was still between us and my hands went to the side of his face, while my fingers pushed through his wet hair. His arms gripped around me tighter and his wings beat faster, raising us higher in to the sky. He gently drew swirls in my lower back beneath my wings. He sent shivers up my spine.

I poured everything I had bottled up into him with that kiss. My sadness, my hope, my control. Everything, with nothing left for me but him. He was mine, everything we had in that moment was given to one another. This was my best friend. With little doubt, the most important person to ever be in my life, and I could never picture it without him.

My thumbs in line with the back of his jaw, and my fingers wrapping through his hair. I felt a tear slip from each eye down my cheeks. I pulled him away from me to breathe. I closed my eyes and rested my head against his; forehead to forehead, nose to nose.

Our bodies parted slightly and he began to slowly lower us back into the water. I opened my eyes to stare into his. He then moved his lips up to my nose and then my forehead, placing a light kiss at each.

We then reached the water again. It was icy cold and I shivered as I placed my feet on the ground. I thought he might then depart from me and go back to the dock, leaving my arms with nothing to hold but myself and the cold water. But he didn't; he just pulled me closer to him again and his hand guided my head to rest on my chest.

He then said to me exactly what I'd been needing to hear all day. "We'll be okay."

I smiled and kissed his collar bone. He shivered a little, but it might have just been the cold. I grabbed his hand and led our way back to the dock. We got back and I sat on the edge of the dock. Fang came up behind me and placed his jacket over my shoulders and left one arm around me. I gladly leaned into him as my eye lids felt heavy. We sat like that for awhile. Looking at the moon slowly moving across the lake. I let my head fall to his lap and gazed at the stars up in the clear sky.

"It's beautiful," I whispered, scared to ruin the moment.

"Yes, it is." Fang replied, but he wasn't looking at the sky, he was gently moving hair out my face and letting his fingers linger on my jaw line. A smile danced gently on his lips when he saw me turn my gaze to him.

Fang laid his back against the dock then, but left his feet hanging over the edge. I sat up and put my head on his chest and curled into him. He wrapped his arms around me. It was very intimate and he fingers trailed up and down my arm, still grinning. I can't say the smile didn't spread, but it did soon fade.

Reality seemed to rush back in too soon as the sun began to spring into view along the horizon. Fang's expression shortly followed mine, but he still didn't put his guard back up, at least if he did I could see through it.

We sat like that for a few more minutes until I proped my chin up on his chest, my eyes level with his jaw. His eyes were closed.

"Fang?" I whispered.

"Hmm?" He replied, opening his eyes slightly as he turned his head to look at me.

I kissed him lightly on the lips for a moment before standing wobbly, and walking to put on my clothes. I blushed at the thought that Fang and I had been together in our underwear all night as I slipped back into my jeans. When I pulled my shirt over my head and dragged the bottom down to meet the top of my jeans I felt Fang's hands slowly wrap around my waist to take my hands. I turned to him, leaving my hands behind my back in his though. He kissed me on the lips for a moment, then my jaw, then my neck, and shoulder, but he respectfully stopped, even though I smiled at him.

We walked back to the field hand in hand, and Fang sprawled out amongst the flowers. I lowered myself to my knees and then place my arms folded slightly over his chest with my face propped up to look at him. He closed his eyes and was soon asleep. I yawned and laid there looking at him, until I too soon join him in unconciousness.

We probably slept there for another hour in the sun before opening our wings and flying back to the house. It was still dead quiet when we arrived so we went in through an open window in Fang's room. He stood and walked over to a desk he had in the corner with his laptop. I just collapsed on his bed and pulled a cover over me. I watched him as the computer screen sprang to life and his desktop showed a picture of me and him out in front of the house. I never noticed in the picture before, but he was smiling slightly as he looked down at me waving to the camera.

I didn't think it was really that great a picture of me, but it still made me smile.

"If you're going to go blog and tell everyone about how fabulous I am just make sure you don't use that picture of me, no one will believe I can look pretty."

He turned to me surprised; and was that a tint of red color on his cheeks? I guess he didn't ever expect me to see the image.

He quickly got up, covered the room in two strides, and tackled me on the bed before I even had time to react. I laughed quietly. He pulled the same blanket over him and quickly wrapped me in his wings and arms.

"Go to sleep," he whispered and so I did. Safe and protected in Fang's arms, I drifted off and slept for what felt like the first time in 5 days.

**REVIEW! please? :)**


	5. Maximum, We Have a Problem

**Author's Note: Wow, two updates in one day? I must really love you guys. Anyway, I like this chapter, it's kinda cute.**

**Sorry it's a little short. It's finally getting to the main plot, but I had to do some leading in with Iggy.  
****I was also thinking of adding some Iggy POV writing? Lemme know what you think of that.**

**Lastly, I was thinking about adding some stuff onto FictionPress and maybe making another Maximum Ride fanfiction?  
Depends on how busy I get these next two weeks. Lemme know what you think on that too.  
Now.. Here.. We.. GOOOOO:**

Max's POV

When my eyes finally fluttered open I was alone in bed. For a minute I worried that the previous night had only been a dream, but as I looked around I noticed I was in Fang's room. And if I had been dreaming, Iggy would have been okay.

I stretched and rolled over, to see Fang at his laptop typing away. I laid like that awhile, not letting him know I was awake, just watching him. It looked like he was answering emails, but I don't know too much about computers, so I could be wrong. He signed off after a little while and shut the laptop.

When he swirled around in the chair, he didn't seem surprised to see me awake. He walked over and knelt beside the bed, making his face lay level to mine. He had a smirk saying that he knew something that I didn't. I looked at his suspiciously.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Angel told me she wants to talk to you when you wake up. Apparently, you think about me a lot in your sleep." His smart ass smirk turned into a full blown chuckle; at my expense.

I groaned and threw the covers over my head. _Angel, you're dead, _I thought.

I heard her faintly laugh in the back of my head and then felt her presence leave. Fang then grabbed the covers and threw them off of me, causing me to curl up into a ball and a whine escaped my throat.

"Come on," he said, lifting me up and then pulling my off the bed by my hands. "We have to figure out breakfast," and with that he slid his arm around me and led me down the stairs.

I sighed, trying to bring back my big tough exterior, but it wasn't easy with Fang so close to me. The closer we got to the kitchen though, something dawned on me, it smelled, like pancakes. Fang and I looked at each other and detached. Peeking my head in the kitchen I saw something that made my already glowing heart fly through the roof.

Angel, Gazzy, Total and Nudge all sat around the table smiling and laughing as Nudge babbled on and on. Iggy was at the stove whipping up pancakes.

"Iggy!" I shouted, with a huge smile all over my face. He turned and smiled right at me, and I ran over to the stove. I pulled him in for a guy and screamed, "What happened? Why didn't you guys wake me up?"

"Um, I told them not to." Iggy spoke up.

"Why?" I asked kinda hurt and let go of him.

"No, Max, don't be hurt, I just wanted to give you and Fang some time. By the way congrats on that!" Iggy said, giving Fang a high five.

"Yea, I'm glad your feeling better.

I stared at Fang and he looked at me innocently."What? I didn't tell him," he said.

_Not me either, _Angel said in the back of my mind.

"Then how did you..?" I questioned.

"I have a new power." And I don't know how he managed to smile more right then, but he did.

"You can read minds too?" Oh great, that's just what I need. _That's not nice, _Angel said in my head. I sent her an apologetic look.

"No. I can feel things. And sometime I can even feel what people are seeing." He stated happily.

"What? Like what?"

"Well, right now, which I can only guess is thanks to you Max, Fang is looking particularly hunky this morning."

Oh. My. God. I put my hand over my mouth and turned bright red. Fang started to chuckle and I punched him. I didn't want Iggy thinking Fang was looking hot. That was for me only, not me and a blind empath living in the house.

"Max! Don't be jealous! It's gross, and it won't last after you leave the room." Iggy yelled at me. By now, Fang was full out laughing and I was ready to kill someone.

Iggy turned back to the food and flipped the pancakes on the skillet. I was holding my head in my hands, wishing I could disappear, while everyone continued to laugh. Fang came up to try and hug me but I pushed him away. "Don't touch me." I said jokingly, "Maybe you should date Iggy!"

Fang looked at me appalled, but I was pleased so I went to hug him and he accepted

"Aw," The whole Flock but Iggy said in unison.

Iggy just muttered, "Get a room," and then dodged the hit Fang tried to throw at him, I guess he could feel it coming.

A few minutes later everyone was eating happily, but it occurred to me between bites of pancakes and bacon, that my mom was no where to be found. "Where's my mom?"

"She's upstairs on the phone with Ella at boarding school, filling her in on everything."Angel said.

I nodded and thought about what I should tell my mom about Fang and I.

"What's there to tell her about it?" Angel asked, smiling. She was such a smart ass, and any other time, I would have been proud.

"Get out of my head, Angel." I growled.

Fang put his hand on my knee to calm me and Angel giggled. He gave her a look and that was it, we all just went back to listen to Nudge babbling on and on.

As I examined Iggy, he looked better, but still really tired. I can't say I wasn't oozing with worry, but he looked over at me and smiled. I smiled back and I think he knew that which was nice. I was glad this happened for him. Maybe it wouldn't make being blind such a challenge all the time.

Eventually we all had eaten enough pancakes to keep us full till lunch and the paper plates were thrown in the trash. Everyone filed out of the room except for Iggy and I. I took this as a chance to talk to him.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked, keeping all worry from my voice.

"Yes, Max. This is a good thing. Don't worry so much." Damn it.

"Iggy, you almost died. I didn't know what I would do with out you. The Flock would have starved!" It was then that I realized no one had gotten dinner last night. Oops, slight guilt there. But Iggy didn't seemed to be phased by the whole almost death thing. It didn't seem like I would be able to talk sense into him to get him to talk to me about what happened.

"Ig, did anything happen while you were passed out? Did you see anything?" Iggy swallowed. "Max, I didn't see anything, but I felt. I felt through all of our memories. Everything since Angel had gotten kidnapped. I felt everything. All at once. It was horrible. All of the emotions. I didn't know if I would live through it." He paused and choked back tears. I pulled him into a hug and he held me too. I was worrying about him a lot. But I tried not to focus on that. He didn't need to feel that.

"What if I can't block out the emotions? What if... what if it kills me?" He paused again.

"It won't." I said firmly. "You just need to practice." I took a step back from him. "Can you feel what I'm feeling?" He nodded. "Okay, now try and block it out. Focus really hard."

He concentrated for a minute. And then his face lit up. "I did it." He smiled. "But it was hard, and you aren't focusing on that many emotions."

"Okay. Now I'm going to think about something else for different emotions, see if you can keep it blocked out."

I thought about Fang. I thought about last night, and the water. I thought about the red lace under wear. Iggy's face didn't change.

"I 'm not-"I thought about the moment when we kissed, I couldn't help it. I though about when my arms and legs wrapped around Fang. Him in his boxer and me.. well yea. "Oh my god! Max! I could have lived my entire life without seeing that!" Iggy looked thoroughly grossed out.

I blushed, "Wait, you saw it?" Oops, again.

"Yes. And may I just say ew!" Iggy yelled.

"Sorry Ig, but you seemed to block in out for awhile, it's probably just cause I was focusing on bringing up emotions."

"Ugh, ew," he said. I felt disgusted. _Ew__, w__hy would I kiss Fang?__, _I thought,_ Wait, what? _"Iggy! Stop making me feel grossed out by Fang!"

"What? I can do that?," he smiled then added, "Cool."

I scowled at him. "No, not cool. Knock it off."He just laughed and gave me a look saying, _I can totally mess with you whenever I want now. _

"And don't look at me like that, jerk."

"I promise, Max, I'm not looking at you at all," he laughed harder.

I shoved him playfully and laughed too, "Last time I try to help you," I said, and I walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

- | -

Upstairs in my room I was laying on my bed with my eyes closed, I was tired from not getting enough sleep last night. I heard a knock on my door so I lazily stood up and opened it.

Fang was standing there holding his laptop. "Come on in," I said. Gesturing my hand towards to bed. He followed and sat on the edge. "Did you have to bring that?" I asked, referring to his laptop.

"Max, we have a problem." he said.

"Well, what is it? Blog girls getting out of hand. Want me to give 'em a talking to," I asked, punching my right fist into my left hand and kicked the door close.

Fang grinned, but shook his head. "No, I can handle my blog girls just fine, thank you."

"Yea," I paused, "Did you tell them you like redheads?" I pointed down at the laptop he was typing away at, "I'm sure girls all over the world will run out and dye there hair." It stung for me to think about the Red Head Wonder from back in Virginia, but I wanted to test Fang.

"No." Fang said. "I told them to stop offering." He stated simply.

I smiled at that and laid on the bed, looking back at him. "Well what's the problem then?"

He turned and laid next to me, and kissed me lightly on the lips, making sure I knew he cared. Then he placed the laptop in front of me. It was opened to his email, it looked like he'd been sorting some of them into a folder called Erasers.

"What is it?" I asked. I knew nothing about computers, so I had no idea where to start.

"Erasers are attacking normal people."

**REVIEW.** :)


	6. Oh Happy Day

**Author's Note: So I had a pretty crappy day, but at least I got this done for you guys.  
So I don't like this chapter. I dunno why, but I just don't. This whole story is kinda too PG for me. Hopefully it will get better. Maybe I'm just self loathing right now.  
Anyway. I changed my mind, which I'm known to do a lot and added some Nudge/Iggy stuff. I think I'm going to start an AU story for Maximum Ride. Eh. I'll see.**

**Review. It might make me feel better.  
**

Max's POV

"That's impossible. They all expired or were terminated." I said.

"Apparently not. Apparently they found a way around that." Fang replied, but it seemed like he might be holding back.

"How do you know that they're attacking people?"

Fang continued to click around on his computer. "People who have read my blog recognized them and then emailed me," he said like it was obvious.

"Well, where?" I followed up, ignoring his apparent superiority.

"It seems like all over the country. Some from Virginia and New Mexico. But California, Colorado, New York, and South Carolina seem to be the most common."

"Damn. That means that they're everywhere. How have we not heard about this before?" I asked myself.

"We've never really had to go looking for trouble," Fang said, "It always found us."

"Well that's certainly true." I thought for a minute. Did we really want to go looking for trouble? Did we want to get involved in this?

But I knew the answer to that. We we're the only ones that could help. The cops wouldn't understand, and after all, we were supposed to save the world. And until we could do that, helping out wouldn't kill us; hopefully.

Still, it could wait one day. Iggy needed as much time as we could give him to adjust, and the rest of the Flock should have a happy day, since we've all been so worried. I sighed and spoke me thoughts aloud, "I guess we'll tell the Flock tomorrow. Let them have a day with Iggy." Fang just nodded.

I though that he would then get up to leave, but he didn't. "What are you going to do today?" I asked. I wondered if things would changed with us a lot, or would we just spend more time together. I definitely wouldn't be complaining about spending more time with Fang.

"I'll probably get a lot of emails to the people who reported attacks of erasers and find out where the Erasers are most active." He replied, not looking up from his laptop.

I frowned a little bit but I knew not to complain. We needed to know as much as we could. "Well, I'm going to go see what the Flock and Iggy want to do today. I take it you're staying here if we go out?"

Fang just nodded again. I sighed and left him to his laptop in my room. I wandered down the stairs to find my mom heading out the door and back to work. She waved and blew me a kiss and I returned the wave. Iggy was in the living room on the couch with Nudge, Angel, and Gazzy watching something on the TV. I walked in and sat down on the chair, not trying to squeeze into that little group.

"Anything fun you guys wanna do today?" I asked them. It was weird for us to have downtime and not have to worry about running for our lives or where we were going to sleep and find food to eat.

"Don't you want to stay around here?" Iggy asked.

"Not really.." I paused, "Why would I?"

"Well we figured you and Fang would want some time alone." He dragged out the world alone and wiggled his eyebrows.

I threw a pillow at him and his eyebrows then furrowed together. "It's not nice to throw thing at blind people, ya know?" Iggy retorted.

"What? You couldn't 'feel it coming'?" I mocked him.

"Well, I'd like to go to the park today if we can, Max. Or maybe a pool." Angel spoke up.

"There is a lake not too far from here.. Fang and I, uh.. found it. It's great for swimming. But if you want to look for a good park I could ask Fang to Google it." I wore a proud smirk for knowing what Google is.

"What do you guys want to do?" Angel asked everybody else. She could be such a sweet little girl. When she wanted to be.

"The water sounds like fun. Are you sure your allowed to swim there though, Max? I have a really cute bathing suit. It's a two piece and gold with little purple designs on it. How long do you think we will be there for? Is Fang coming? Are you guys gonna kiss and stuff? You guy are really-" Iggy slapped his hand over her mouth, and she just sank into the couch, Iggy not removing his hand.

"Now if only I could silence the endless mounds of excitement rolling off of her." Iggy said sighing.

I laughed quietly and ordered the Flock to all go get dressed into there bathing suits.

We all then quickly filed back to our rooms. Fang was still typing away at the computer on my bed. "Get out." I said. He stopped typing and looked at me with a questioning look on his face and waited. "I need to change into a bathing suit. I'm going to take the Flock down to that lake today."

"I'm alright here." He said turning back to his computer.

I scowled at his back, but felt silly since he wasn't looking at me and obviously didn't care. "Ha," I said, "Very funny. However I don't want you seeing my.. body and stuff." _Oh, very smooth Max,_ I told myself.

"You didn't mind last night," Fang said, not even turning to me.

"Jackass." I said plainly. Fang then stood up and came over to me, reaching his hands to hips. "No," I said and smacked his hands down. "Not until you're nicer."

Fang smirked at that. "Well I guess I should tell you something then." I raised and eye brow and waited for him to continue. "When you woke up this morning, you took my breath away. And when you walked in just now, my heart skipped a beat. And when you told me you were getting into your bathing suit and taking the Flock to the lake, just to see you in a bathing suit, I'm going to come too." My jaw dropped, I wasn't sure what to say, and thankfully, Fang decided to continue, "And you know something else? You have absolutely no idea the effect you have on me."

"That's a good answer, I guess," I said, reaching out and wrapping my hands around Fang.

Fang just chuckled to himself and said, "You are so stubborn." Then he lightly kissed my lips, but it soon became a kiss of much more passion. Before I could lose thought and control I pushed Fang away and said, "Okay, now get out. I still need to change, and so do you."

He did a dramatic frowned but then laughed lightly as he picked up his laptop and went towards to the door. Right before he closed it however he poked his head back in and said, "If you need any help just let me know!"

The pillow I threw at him in response hit a closed door as I heard him make his way down the hall laughing. I then laughed to myself and said out loud, "Oh boy, I'm in trouble with that one."

- | -

It didn't take long for the Flock to be ready to go and out the door. It wasn't often we got to do stuff like this and they were really excited. We flew until I spotted the old abandoned dock by the water. It was actually pretty lucky that Fang and I had found this place. It didn't seem like other people had been out here in awhile.

No one waited to jump in, although Nudge screeched when she hit the water that it was 'sooo cold'. Fang and I sat on the edge of the dock for awhile, just watching everyone have fun. Iggy and Gazzy set off some sort of underwater explosive in the center of the lake that splashed everyone. I yelled half heartedly at them about how dangerous that was, but in my head I was laughing just as hard as the rest of them.

Fang and I were sitting temptingly close and I wasn't going to complain. Gazzy and Angel were playing in the shallow parts now, but Angel kept staying under for too long and Gazzy was getting jealous. Meanwhile though, Iggy was tackling Nudge underneath the water and she laughed the whole time.

"Nudge is growing up," Fang said from my side.

"What?" I asked. Surprised at the tone of Fang's voice. He was implying something, but I wasn't picking up on whatever it was.

"Just watch." He replied, and I did. When the two finally surfaced Nudge was sitting on Iggy's shoulders and Iggy had a hand on each knee. Then Nudge leaned back dragging them both down again. Only this time when they came up, Iggy's arms were around her. Iggy said something to her, and she raised his hand to her face. Then I realized it. "Oh." I said, now unable to take my eyes off of them. Fang just chuckled.

"How long has this been going on?" I asked him, he seemed to know all about this.

"Not too long. Few weeks." He looked over at me, as my jaw fell slightly. I still didn't take my eyes off of them. "Relax." He added, but it wasn't like I was stressing.

"Have they.." I trailed off, I didn't know what I wanted to ask, and I didn't know if I wanted the answer.

"Relax," he said again. "Iggy has just talking to me about liking her, he's barely acted on it at all."

"Well aren't you just Miss Chatty Cathy with the gossip?" I snapped. I was the leader, I did I not know about this, but Fang did? Something is wrong with this.

"Don't be jealous. I'm sure Nudge would have come to you eventually." I just turned and glared at him, before going back to staring at Nudge and Iggy. Iggy had a huge smile on his face, and Nudge wasn't even talking a hundred miles per hour. She was silent. This was obviously big.

"Come on, Max." He was trying to change the subject and I was going to let him. "You wanna go for a swim or a walk?" I didn't much want Fang to see me in my bathing suit in front of everyone else, so I chose going for a walk. Don't ask me why, but I felt very nervous around him since he told me that stuff this afternoon. Like I had a lot for me to live up to. And if anything was going to get my mind off of Iggy and Nudge, it would be Fang.

We walked in silence for awhile; close but not touching. Eventually we were far enough away from the Flock that I could relax a little more. I figured I would talk business with Fang, playing it safe. "Did you get anything else online about the erasers?"

"There might have been a few things, but you won't like it." He wouldn't look at me.

"Do I ever?" I swallowed, he made it seem like it was really bad. I wasn't sure I wanted to press but I knew that I needed to know. "What is it?" I braced myself.

"It seems like the erasers might not only be attacking people." Fang still looked straight ahead, not at me.

"There not.. getting pervy are they?" I dared to ask.

He let out a short, dark chuckle. "No. It seems like they might be.." He looked at me now, his were dark, and had a certain dangerous fury in them. "It appears that they are taking people."


	7. Promises

**Author's Note: I'm a totally horrible person for not getting this done sooner. I'm halfway done with the next chapter. Maybe tonight!? but definitely tomorrow!  
I wish I could say, now this was well worth the wait. But honestly, this chapter isn't that great. It's too short. Mostly a filler. But I felt it kinda just had to be done this way. Don't kill me. The next is on it's way.**

**Oh, and creative reviews like this make my day, so this chapter is dedicated to you:  
**

**

* * *

**

Aleria14  
2009-07-07 . chapter 5

Me: I laughed when Ig said: 'I promise, Max, I'm not looking at you at all'  
Iggy: And that's because you are obsessed with the blind jokes!  
Me: AM NOT!  
Iggy: -sighs- No point in arguing with you...  
Me: Exactly.  
Iggy: Okay, that last chapter really did gross me out and you hit the nail on the head with how I feel about it!  
Me: -snickers- And in this story, you get to hear all about Max and Fang making out...  
Iggy: Oh joy...  
Me: Anyway, great story and this was a funny chapter. Max will probably have to stop displaying so much emotion when she's around Iggy.  
Iggy: Yes!  
Me: -sighs-  
Bell and Ig :D

* * *

"It appears that they are taking people." Now, I think everyone knows by now that Fang is a pretty emotionless guy, but as he said this, there were too many emotions on his face to count; angry, confused, frustrated, but mostly scared. The sight made me want to pull into my arms and hold him till he was okay, but I knew that wasn't possible, so I just started walking again.

Fang paused for a moment but followed. "Do you.." I didn't want to say it, "Do you think they are doing more experiments?" I braced myself.

"Yes." His voice was different. He didn't sound like Fang at all, and he sounded distant. "They're all young children that go missing."

"I know this sucks. Believe me, I do know. But are you okay?" He seemed like he was trying too hard; being too careful about not showing emotion. And I was shocked that this wasn't as tormenting for me. It made me more angry than sad. Defense mechanism I developed years ago I guess.

"Sure." His voice was hollow.

I stopped walking once again, and put a hand on his arm to stop him too. He adverted his eyes, but stopped. I didn't take my arm away. I held it there, waiting for him to look at me. Waiting for the normal Fang to come back. He didn't.

Fang turned his eyes to me. I flinched; his expression, it scared me. I saw a twitch of pain in his face when he realized it scared me, but it faded back to nothingness. I needed Fang, and he seemed to be slipping away.

I stepped in front of him slowly and gently put a hand on each side of his face. He looked down on me, and his expression softened a little. I gave him a weak smile and he cocked his head slightly in my hand. I gave him a short kiss, which he responded to sweetly.

I slid one hand down to his and let the other drop to my side. "Come on, let's go sit down." There was a tree about 20 yards to the left so I aimed us toward that. Fang sat down first and sat like he wanted me on his lap, but I didn't sit there. I sat next to him and propped up against the tree as well. He laid his head on my shoulder and I then pulled his head into my lap.

If he wanted to protest he didn't. I slowly stroked his hair and heard him mumble something that sounded like, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked, surprised.

"You shouldn't be making me feel better. I should be there for you too."

I was shocked even more that he talked, but what Fang had said had me floored. And I realized. He was letting me be there for him. When I think of all the things that we'd been through in our life, I'd never been there for him; not on in the emotional state at least. He'd been there for me, and taken care of me, but I'd never done the same for me.

I felt a small smile creep onto my face as Fang rolled over to look up at me. "What?" He asked, with a puzzled expression. "Why are you smiling?"

A smile still played on my lips, but was fading fast when I said, "Do you need me Fang?" I don't really know why I asked that. But the question came up in my head and I had to know. I had to hear him say it.

He looked at me completely serious. His hand reached over my legs and supported him, while the other came up to brush some hair out of my eyes. "Yes, I need you, Max. I need you every day."

I smiled and leaned in to kiss him. He didn't resist, but it didn't turn passionate and as, well, physical, as it usually did. We laid like that for awhile; holding and kissing each other. Eventually, I wound up laying with my left hand and head on Fang's chest, while he stroked my back in between my wings.

"Ya know, if we keep having sappy moments like this, Dr. Phil and Oprah are going to clear a time slot just for us." I said looking up at Fang. The sun was starting to shrink into the distance, so we had to head back to the Flock soon.

"You're right. I really should stop telling you how I feel. Emotions, they're all too dramatic." I could tell he was being smart ass, but I was kind of serious. It wasn't like us to talk about our emotions. I was kinda worried it would mess us up. Fang seemed to feel me tense and gave me a small squeeze. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay."

"Yeah.. You keep making that promise." I replied solemnly and sighed.

* * *

**Review!?**


	8. Leaving the Nest

**Author's Note: So I promised you guys yesterday that I would have this up by today. I'm barely making that deadline by an hour, but I did! :) The reason it took so long is cause I finished up the first chapter to my brand new story, Dead and Gone.**

**If you click that pretty little link up there that says writeitloud and go to my page, you can read it. Please do, I love knowing what you guys think. **

**Long author's notes can be really annoying so just enjoy.  
**

* * *

"Rise and shine!" I screamed before slamming Angel and Gazzy's door closed again.

I repeated the act in Nudge's room. And then went to open Ig's door. He stood in jeans and a shirt, obviously trying to find a shirt since he was on the floor with his hands out stretched. There was a blue t-shirt sitting a few feet in front of him, and I guess that's what he was looking for. I stepped into the room and pushed the shirt closer to him with my foot; not letting him know I was helping him of course.

"When you get dressed, can you go downstairs and start on breakfast. Everyone needs to eat, then Flock meeting in the living room."

"Alright," He said picking up the t-shirt I'd placed in front of him. I turned to walk out of the room when Iggy said, "Max?"

"Yea, Ig?"

"Thanks," He smiled and slipped the shirt over his head. I smirked, I guess it wouldn't be so easy to help him without him knowing anymore now that he's got this new power.

"Anytime."

Then with only one room was left. Fang. I knocked and waited for a reply, but one didn't come. So I knocked again, harder. Still no answer. I sighed impatiently and opened the door to see Fang slipping a black shirt over his head and then pull it down over his abs (hot, damn) to meet his black jeans.

"Breakfast. Then we'll tell the Flock the game plan."

"Ease up, Max! Wait till I'm downstairs so it's easier to tune out your vibes of Fang!" Iggy yelled while walking down the stairs. I glared at him and turned bright red. Fang just smirked.

"Oh, shut up." I said and left him alone in his room be annoying all by himself.

Soon enough everyone was crowded into the still someone charcoaled kitchen around the table eating pancakes that Iggy was whipping up on the temporary skillet put in over the stove.

Two jugs of Shake and Pour batter later, the whole Flock was stuffed and reported into the living room. I jugged down the rest of my apple juice, about to follow them out, when Fang came up behind me and said, "So what exactly is the game plan?"  
I hadn't gotten that far yet, but I wasn't going to let Fang know that, no matter how much our relationship changed. "We're going to go check out the area with the most Eraser activity."

"Which is?" Fang said, and I knew what he was getting at. I didn't know that, he did.

"You tell me." I said through a clenched jaw.

"Virginia." He stated simply, but that was not so simple to me. Three things came to mind when he brought up Virginia.

One was the Red Haired Wonder, Lissa, that Fang had been, oh, so fond of. The second was Sam, who was nice, but I wasn't eager to run into him. And the third was Itex. Itex's second largest headquarters in the U.S. was in northern Virginia. Just outside of D.C. And just a few minutes away from where we used to live with Anne.

I wasn't into the idea of sharing any of these thoughts with Fang, for obvious reasons. So I simply said, "If you had useful information, you could have just said it instead of manipulating me into asking for it."

"Yea, but you're just so cute when you squirm." He said, passing by me dangerously close. _I'm going to kill him one of these days_, I thought to myself.

_Be nice, _Angel said.

I just rolled my eyes and pushed her out of my head.

"Okay guys. So we're leaving. We're going to Virginia. It seems not all the Erasers are gone like we had hoped. And it seems that they are taking on more of the dirty jobs in Itex." I decided to just blurt it out at I walked into the living room to stand in front of the couches and chairs they all had plopped down on.

"What does that mean?" Iggy asked, I could tell he was curious and scared; especially with the vibes I was rolling off.

"They are taking people." Fang said. Nudge gasped and everyone turned their head to face him sitting in the chair off to the side, alone; go figure.

"What do you mean taking people? Like adults or kids? How can you be sure? How do you know it was the Erasers that took them and not just bad people. There are people who are just bad and not different like us." Nudge said in one breath.

"People who've been reading Fang's blog recognized them by description." I said; sad to crush their hopes that maybe it was all just one big mistake.

"When do we leave?" Angel asked, strangely she didn't seem sad or excited, just like she had no problem excepting it.

"Two hours. Go pack up. Take what you can't live without. You know the drill." I said and they all got up to go pack their bags while I called my mother to have conversation I was definitely not ready for. It wasn't like I wanted to leave, but I had to. We had a responsibility to help these people because no one else knew what they were dealing with. And I knew once I said that my mom would find a way to except it. Hopefully she would also break it to Ella that we wouldn't be here when she came home to visit from break.

I took a deep breath and dialed the number.

- | -

After finally convincing my mom she didn't need to rush home to see us off, I hung up the phone. She also agreed to break it to Ella that we weren't for staying as long as we had all hoped. Then I went up the stairs to start throwing my stuff together. Only, when I reached my room, Fang was sitting on my bed with mine and his stuff already pack.

"Does us making out mean you do all my work for me?" I said with a smirk and leaned against the frame of the door.

Fang just shrugged. Shocker.

I sighed and pushed myself toward the bed. Plopping down as far away from Fang as I could be I said, "So you thinking of looking up any of your old friends from Virginia while we're there?"

"No," he said but paused with an unreadable expression on his face, "Are you?"

"Oh, sure. I figured I'd call Sam and see if he wanted to hang out with all of his buddies. I have his number somewhere.." I let my voice trail off, like I was thinking deeply about where I would have put it.

"Cool, maybe you and him can double date with me and Lissa. She's sent me a few emails, I could see if she wanted to hang out with all of us together." Fang was testing me. I could tell.

"Alright, very funny." I said giving up the charade.

"You started it." Fang simply replied, putting his hand behind his head and closing his eyes. I took this as an opportunity to jump on his stomach; hard.

Fang being Fang, didn't take this lightly and through me the side and proceed to then jump on top of me. We wrestled like this for a few minutes, becoming less and less playful. Thankfully, Angel came and thought we were actually fighting.

She proceeded to scream, "Fang is going to kill Max!" This of course was followed by everyone else in the Flock running into the room, thinking they needed to break up a fight. Shit.

Laughing hysterically and Fang chuckling underneath me, we stopped fighting each other. "Just when I was winning too," I said getting off the bed to stand up.

Fang glared at me to tell me he disagreed.

"Guys! Knock it off! Would it kill you two to keep your vibes to yourself?" Iggy said.

"Max, what does horny mean?" Angel asked.

"How bet I let you handle that one Iggy, I'm sure you started it." I said frustrated.

"At least I would be able to keep it to my self."

"Oh that's it Iggy." I said. Now, what I did next may be frowned upon by some. But Iggy totally deserved it. He was being a jerk instead of just trying to block it out. So I simply, let loose every lustful feeling I could think of about Fang.

I expected Iggy to just run from the room, but apparently my feelings are a little stronger than that.

Iggy put his hand on his hip and winked at Fang. Nudge, Angel, Gazzy and I all burst out laughing and Iggy turned bright red realizing what he'd just done.

Fang sat there, stunned but at least not angry. Iggy on the other hand, turned around and let out a sigh full of anger before returning back to him room and slamming his door.

Through laughter Nudge said, "I'm gonna go get him to calm down."

"You do that," I said still laughing, but gave Fang a meaning full look.

Everyone then filed out of the room, leaving Fang and I alone again. "Hey, Fang?"

"Yeah?" We were sitting dangerously close and I wanted more than anything to lay in bed and kiss him all day.

"We should probably get going soon. Will you make sure the Flock packed everything we needed?" I was kind of hoping for a smile, but didn't get one. He just nodded and left the room.

I laid back on my bed trying to figure out what we would do once we got to Virginia. Are we supposed to just fly around until we see someone being taken? Or march right into the Itex headquarters and demand answers? We didn't really have anything to go on. Maybe my friendly neighborhood voice would jump in now and tell me what to do.

Nothing. No surprise there.

I laid there lightly, in peace for awhile, until Fang quietly returned to tell me the Flock was ready to go.

We walked down the stairs together and locked up the front door to the house. Everyone was looking at the house; no one wanted to say goodbye. I felt tears stinging the corners of my eyes but blinked them away.

"Alright guys. Up and away." And we all flapped our wings until we were so high up, we couldn't see the house.

"I wonder how long it will be before we get to go home again." Nudge said.

No one answered her.

* * *

**REVIEW!**


	9. Breakfast in Bed

**Author's Note: So it's 5:44 in the morning as I'm typing this author's note. I couldn't sleep and felt slightly guilty for not giving you guys a chapter today, vuahla. (That really just doesn't look cool typed. Eh, I probably spelled it wrong.)  
**

**Anyway, if you're wondering why I'm not sleeping tonight, it's because my dumb ass friend got in a car accident a month or two ago and my sorry ass is still having nightmares. Add insomnia into the mix and life's a bitch. I'm talking 13 hours of sleep this week tops. ANYWAY. You guys don't really care so, enjoy. :)  
**

* * *

Max's POV

The Flock and I have been flying for about 4 hours now; without a stop. Nudge will be saying she's hungry soon, and Angel already looks like she's ready to fall out of the sky. I looked back at her again, kinda lagging behind, but she is too tough to complain just yet. Gosh, I love her.

I sighed and looked for Fang. He was flying a little bit above the rest of us and I flew up so my wings were flapping right beside his.

He glanced at me, but when I didn't say anything he turned his head back forward, like flying was demanding all of his attention; please. Fang could fly in his sleep if he wanted to. And look amazing doing it.

I heard Angel giggle. I blushed red as ever and I'm pretty sure I saw Fang smirk. "I think we should stop pretty soon Fang. It'll start to get dark in a few hours. That gives us time to find some food and a place to sleep."

He nodded. I rolled by eyes but didn't fly away. "Was there something else?" Fang asked when he noticed I wasn't flying back to the rest of the Flock.

"No," I stated simply, trying my best to keep my face expressionless. In case you're wondering, I'm not very good at it. It's Fang's thing.

We flew like that for awhile, in stubborn silence. Eventually I heard Angel pipe up in my head, _Max, I'm really tired. Can we stop now?_

_Sure, _I thought back.

_And Max? _Angel spoke up again.

_Yea, sweetie? _I thought, thinking she was about to tell me she was hungry.

_Fang really does love you. You shouldn't be so hard on him. _I stole a quick look at Fang to see if he had anything to do with this, but he was completely oblivious. I then turned and looked down and Angel, she looked exhausted but her smile beamed up at me. I gave her a full smile back and then said, "Alright guys, lets land in the next town. We'll get a bite to eat and then find a place to camp out for the night."

- | -

After scarfing down enormous amounts of fast food, we settled into three hotel rooms; paid for nicely by the nice organizations that we helped to spread awareness of global warming. Angel and Nudge were in the first room, followed by Iggy and Gasman, and then lastly mine and Fang's room.

Each room had two beds, a mini fridge, a bathroom, a small TV, a closet, and a dresser. Immediately after entering our room I took a nice, long, hot shower to relax my tense muscles. And being in a room with Fang after a long flight, just wasn't likely to do that. Especially after what Angel had said, but eventually I had to retreat from the bathroom and give Fang a turn.

I walked out in long black flannel pants and a tank top while towel drying my hair. "Shower's yours," I said to Fang and he turned to look at me. He eyed me up and down briefly, which made me squirm a little, but Fang looked unaffected.

He switched off the TV and got up to walk toward me. "You know, I might have wanted to watch that?" I told him, knowing he wouldn't care.

As if on cue, Fang shrugged as he slipped his hands onto my waist. I dropped the towel as he tried to lean in for a kiss but I put my two fingers on his puckered lips and said, "Shower first! I do not want to be smelling you." I let myself crack a smile when Fang groaned. It was nice to know that he wanted to kiss me.

"Just one?" He did a fake pout and then.. damn it. Bambi eyes. I gave him a quick kiss before jumping onto the bed and grabbing the remote. I let out a little laugh, being such the girl that I am. Fang and I just watched each other for a minute and he smiled small, but sweetly at me.

I beamed at him for a minute, but then pointed at the bathroom and shouted, "Shower!"

Fang complied and I watched TV until my eye lids felt heavy and I drifted off to sleep.

However long I was asleep I don't know, but after Fang's shower he picked me up only to lay me back down again with my head on his chest. Instinctively, I curled into him as I felt the covers fall over us. "Don't leave me, Fang," I whispered.

Only after I said it did I realize it and my eyes bugged open. He chuckled slightly, but said, "Don't worry; I'm not going anywhere." I relaxed my tensed shoulders and he gave me a small squeeze. "Sleep, Max," Fang whispered, "I'm right here."

And I did.

- | -

When I woke in the morning it was too the smell of bacon. So of course I bolted up in bed and scanned the room quickly for food. I heard a chuckle and soon found the culprit.

Fang crossed the room with a tray completely filled with all breakfast food you could ever think of and then some. "I thought the smell of food would wake you," he said.

I smiled at him and grabbed a piece of bacon as he sat the tray between us. It was a lot of food. Even for us. But still, for the sake of messing with Fang I said, "So.. What are you going to eat?"

"Funny, Max." Fang grabbed the piece of bacon right before I took a bite and said, "This is mine. You can probably find a rat in the basement somewhere if you want."

I made a pout and gave him the Bambi eyes this time. So of course he caved and held out the bacon to me. "Thank you," I said, biting of a piece from right in his hand.

"Do you want me to feed you your whole breakfast?" Fang threatened.

"No." I said as I took a bite out of a delicious blueberry muffin.

We talked and laughed while we ate until I remembered the rest of the Flock. "What about everyone else?"

"They ordered room service too. Nudge of course was starving." Fang did a terrific impression of Nudge on the word starving and it made me laugh.

"Thanks for taking care of that," I said.

Fang nodded, "No problem, we're a team."

I started to say 'You bet', but then there was a knock at the door. Fang started to get it, but I beat him to it. "What's up?" I said as I opened the door. Fang pulled my pony tail and opened the door wider so he could be seen too. When you think about it, it would make sense that Fang needed to be seen. Around other people he never spoke, so being seen was the only way people knew he existed.

The entire Flock was standing in the hall way staring at me like I'd grown an extra head. Even Iggy was looking in my direction with the same expression. "What's wrong guys?" I asked, my smile barely fading.

"Uh.. Nothing," Nudge said.

"It's just.. You're smiling." Gazzy spoke up, "Like really smiling."

"I smile all the time." I said, grinning.

"Not like that," Angel giggled, then in my head I heard, _You and Fang are really cute. I'm glad you listened to me._

I sent her a mental eye roll but aloud said, "Alright, well come in, get out of the hall.. Unless you don't want to see me smiling?" I challenged.

"Don't worry. I can't see it," Iggy said and everyone laughed. "But I can feel the endless amounts of happiness rolling of you two."

"Two?" I challenged.

"Yea, you and Fang." Iggy said like it was obvious. I looked at Fang and at first glance he looked just as emotionless as ever. But when I looked closely his eyes were softer, lighter. And happier. We shared a small smile that I'm fairly certain everyone else missed out on as they pushed past us into the room.

I was really happy. It wasn't like I'd never been happy traveling with the Flock before. But we were lucky. We were all here, in comfy beds, with food. All completely healthy. Nudge kept stealing glances at Iggy and Iggy kept smiling in her direction as they sat on the unused bed talking quietly. Angel and Gasman were watching something on TV, laughing without a care in the world. Fang was standing next to me, with his arm hanging loose behind my back. I leaned into him and he slid it up around my shoulder. This was my family. And I was very, very happy.

"Yo! Listen up," I said and all heads turned to me and everyone silenced. "I've decided we could all hang around here, do what you like. It's already 4 in the afternoon. So relax and enjoy what's left of the day. And what we do next is up for a vote."

"Okay!" Angel piped up, "What's the vote?" My heart tugged, she was adorable. She beamed; obviously reading my thoughts.

"We can either hang around till dark and then hit the sky, and make it the rest of the way up to Virginia. Or we can spend one more night here and leave tomorrow."

"Let's spend the night again," Nudge said.

"Yea, I like it here," Angel agreed.

"I agree, I think we should leave tomorrow. Ya know, catch our rest," Iggy stated.

"What they said," Gazzy smiled.

"Alright, well it's settled then. Fang and I are gonna go downstairs and let them know we're staying for another night." We turned to leave when Iggy and Nudge stood up too.

"Where are you guys going?" I asked.

"Iggy wants to show me something in the boys' room." _I'm sure he does, _I thought, but then decided I'd let it slide. If Fang and I could sneak off and make out, they deserved to be able to too. "Okay, but behave," I said so low only they could hear.

"Okay, Max!" Nudge giggled and they ran into the room next door.

I rolled my eyes as the door closed and Fang just chuckled. "Sometimes they are all just too much." I said.

Fang and I walked down to elevator hand in hand. Someone was just getting off, so we jumped into the now empty elevator cart and pressed ground. "Ya know," Fang said, "We could probably have just called down to the front desk to let them know we'd be spending another night."

"Hmm.. You're right," I said, "But then I wouldn't have gotten to do this." I pulled the emergency brake and pushed Fang up against the wall. I saw a look of pleased surprise cross his face as I closed my eyes and kissed him.

* * *

**And guys. Please, please, please review. I love your reviews. They're why I do this.**

**And I mean, come on. That ending right there is totally deserving of a review. :)**

**ALSO. Cause I just remembered to tell you this. If you guys have a story you're writing and you want me to read it, lemme know.**

**I review everything I read.  
**

**Wow, sorry for so much Author's Note. It's now 5:52. :P**

**HAPPY WEEKEND!  
**


	10. Trust Me

**Author's Note: Sorry this took more than a day to get out to you guys. It was hard chapter to right, cause everything is getting serious again, and when it comes to sad and serious emotions they have to be perfect or I don't post. **

**Now another great review:**

**

* * *

**

Aleria14  
2009-07-25 . chapter 9

Me: I loved this quote so much that I just have to type it!:  
"Iggy wants to show me something in the boys' room." I'm sure he does, I thought, but then decided I'd let it slide.  
I was laughing so hard!  
Iggy: And I was glaring so hard at you that my eyes got sore!  
Me: -snickers- I could say something really mean, but I'm gonna leave it at that-  
Iggy: WHAT!?  
Me: Nope, I don't want to embarras you! Great chapter! Loved it, as usual. If you want, you can check out my stories :D There's, Hidden Secrets- Oh wait! I just realized you read Maximum Ride Gone but not forgotten! Didn't you! Thanx so much for that :D:D:D:D:D:D Well, now I have a few more...  
Iggy: -sighs- Including the one that we wrote  
Me: Yeah, it's called Iggy Ramblings :D. if your looking for a laugh, that's the one to go to :D  
Now, enough about my stories! I'm really enjoying yours and I can't wait for the next chapter :D  
Bell and Ig :D

* * *

**Anyway, I hope you guys like this. :)  
**

* * *

After straightening out our clothes and emerging from the elevator, Fang and I walked up to the front desk. A guy about 17 or 18, about as old as we looked, was working there and typing away at the computer. I coughed and laid my hands on the counter waiting for his attention.

He seemed to drag his eyes away from the computer and look at me. "Good afternoon, what can I help you with?" he said with a smile.

"My family and I stayed in rooms 403, 405, and 407 last night. And we're going to be spending another night."

"Alright, let me just check the computer." He typed into the computer for a moment and then turned back to me. "Yes, alright you're all set. You're automatic check out will be at 3 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Will you be out of your room by then?"

"Yes, we'll be gone."

"Alright, well then enjoy the rest of your stay," He said with an eerily cheery smile. I felt his eyes on me as I turned back towards the elevators. I stepped away when I realized, Fang wasn't with me.

He was staring coldly at the hotel guy, who looked like he was about to pee his pants.

"Come on, Fang," I hissed beneath my breath while pulling him by the arm. After a second or two he complied and followed me back into the elevator.

I angrily pushed the button for our floor and glared at Fang. "What was that for?"

"He was checking you out," Fang said simply. "I didn't like it."

"Oh, please Fang. Jealous boyfriend? You're such a cliché." I rolled my eyes and stood as from away from him as the elevator would allow.

"Oh come on, Max. Like you wouldn't care if some girl was checking me out?"

I thought about it for a moment and I really didn't think it would. Maybe if she hit on him I'd get upset. But just looking isn't the end of the world. Thankfully, the elevator made a _ping _ sound and the doors opened to our floor, saving me from having to answer Fang.

"Fine, Max," Fang sighed, "I'm sorry."

I stopped and turned to look at him. After staring at him for a few moments I said, "It's fine," and took his hand in mine.

"I wanna stop by the guy's room and get the laptop."

"Alright," I said, swiping the key card and pushing open the door. Nudge and Iggy tore apart from each other so fast, they probably have whip lash. From what I had seen it looked like Nudge was laying on top of Iggy and things had just been starting to get serious when we walked in.

"Shit!" I shouted, turning around and blushing red. Even though Iggy and Nudge were much more embarrassed, it was still pretty awkward for me. Fang smirked for a second before just bursting out laughing.

"Nice, Iggy! You finally get her alone in a room and can't lock the door?" I turned to Fang, stunned. I mean, he had a point, but that was such a sexist pig headed thing to say. Like Nudge was just some girl? No. We're all family.

Instead of yelling at him for it and making the entire situation worse, I grabbed the laptop and shove him out the door and closed it behind me. "Well that went completely horrible," I said giving Fang a look, letting him know to just drop it.

- | -

I don't want to bore you with the details, but basically, the Flock and I did nothing for the rest of the afternoon until night came and we all filed back to our rooms for sleep before leaving the next morning.

"So," Fang said, climbing into the bed next to me, "Did you have a good day today?"

"Uhm, I don't know," I said. "It was nice I guess, but I could have used a little more alone time with my boyfriend." I bit my lower lip nervously as I said this, although Fang responded well by wrapping his arm around me.

"Yea, I know what that's like."

"Oh, really? Who are you dating?" I cocked my head to the side, and laughed.

"Funny, Max!" He said and tickled me lightly, causing me to curl into him, giggling more. When did I become such a girl? But at least I was a happy one.

"I really don't want to go to Virginia," Fang said in a serious tone which made me stop laughing.

"Why?" I turned in his arm so that I was laying down with him more comfortably and facing him.

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about it," he paused, but I knew there was more to come so I just waited. "Max, I want you to promise me something."

"Alright, what is it?" I held my breath, I already trusted Fang more than anyone, but he had me scared.

"No matter what happens these next few days, I need you to trust me. And trust that it's best for the Flock." He didn't look at me as he said this but when I didn't say anything he turned and I saw the intensity and importance of this in his eyes.

"I trust you." He kissed me softly, but there was something else in the kiss. I didn't know what it was, but it felt important and I liked it, so I said nothing to complain.

I yawned hugely, suddenly very tired, but Fang didn't look it so I said, "Do you want to watch some TV?"

"No," he said and let a small smile escape. "Sleep, Maxie."

I laid my head on his chest and let my eyes close. As I drifted into sleep I heard a worried sigh off in the distance somewhere but didn't question it with Fang's arms around me.

- | -

_I was running fast. My legs were a blur underneath me and my breathing was __incredibly__ heavy and fast, especially for me. I was going as quick as possible, but it wasn't fast enough. Why was I running? Why couldn't I fly. I tried to open my wings, but I couldn't something just told me, 'No, Max. Just run. Everything depends on it.'_

_My feet beating against the pavement and my breathing was the only sound. Other than that it was eerily quiet. Everything was still. There was nothing around._

_Then the sidewalk stopped and I stopped. My breathing leveled out and I looked over the edge. It looked like the side of a cliff that went down as far as I could see.  
_

_I heard a scream. It was __piercing__ and filled with terror. Everything about it made me want to start running again. Nothing was safe. That's when I realized where the scream was coming from. _

_It was me. Tears stained my cheeks and I fell to my knees. It stung as they hit the pavement and I knew there would be some blood. Sobs escaped my breath into the silence and my hand fell to my hands and everything went dark._

_I don't know how long I stayed like that, it could have been hours, maybe even days. I felt stuck. The only emotion I felt was dread. Everything was filled with despair and anger._

_When I finally looked up I was somewhere else. I was in the woods, and I heard shouting near by. I don't know what came over me. But I stood up and began to run towards it._

_My legs were stiff and sore but I pushed through it. The closer I got the more familiar one of the voices sounded. It was Fang, and he sounded threatening, but underneath it was something else. Something I knew only I was sensing. He was scared. Really scared. I hid behind and huge tree and observed the scene._

_They were a few feet past where the trees stopped. They were in grass up the their calves. It was Fang and someone. I couldn't see them, but I knew they were there. They scared me. But I was more scared of loosing Fang. Something just told me to worry. They were a few feet from the edge of another cliff. While this time I __could see where the bottom was, it was still a long way down. _

_"You leave them alone or I'll rip your throat out!" Fang snarled at the man. He responded but I couldn't hear what he said. Some more of the angry melted away from Fang's face to be replaced with fear. "Stop. Why are you doing this? We don't deserve this." Fang sounded desperate._

_The man responded again, but I still didn't know what he was saying. What was left of Fang's tough exterior completely fell and the man stepped closer to him. Then I froze. I couldn't move. My muscles wouldn't work. I couldn't stand, I couldn't scream. I was only able to watch. The man moved closer to Fang, so fast I almost didn't see it. There was nothing Fang could do, he was defenseless as the man pushed him off the cliff._

_As Fang fell I saw a glimpse of his face as he turned to me. I knew he saw me, because his eyes showed love and it brought tears to mine. But also on his face showed fear. Fear so undeniable I knew his wings weren't going to open. _

_I knew Fang was gone the second he fell from my view._

_"No!" I screamed and reached toward the edge of the cliff. The man had __disappeared__ and it was no longer day. The moon was high, and almost as if it knew the sorrow I felt, it made everything around me look blue in it's light._

_I __knelt__ at the edge of the cliff looking down at where I had just seen him fall into oblivion. But as if it was life's cruel joke. There was nothing. No sign that he had ever been there. Nothing for me to remember him by and nothing that I could do to bring him back._

_- | -_

I shot straight up in bed, coated with a thick sweat. The dreamed buzzed in my head and I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I took a fast and deep breaths and looked next to me, already knowing what I would see. Nothing. Fang wasn't there, just empty sheets. I felt tears sting at my eyes but then remembered what Fang had said the night before. _Trust me, _he'd said. So I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. _I need you to trust me. And trust that it's best for the Flock, _I heard his voice say again.

"Alright, Fang," I whispered, "I'm trusting you."

* * *

**Please feel free to ask me any questions EXCEPT what will happen next. I won't tell you. :)**

**REVIEW! Please?**


	11. Memories and Nightmares

**Author's Note: So it's been awhile since I've updated this. Like a little over a week. I'm so so sorry, I just didn't get around to it, because nothing was coming to me at all. I knew where I wanted it to go, but just couldn't seem to write it.**

**Anyway, I hope you like it. A little more author's note at the bottom.  
**

* * *

Max's POV

"What do you mean Fang isn't coming with us? Where is he going? Did you guys break up? Are you okay, Max? I think you guys can fix it. He loves you! You guys were so cute and you were, like, so happy. Where is Fang going if he's not coming with us? I don't get how he could just-" Iggy cut off Nudge with a hand over her mouth from behind and pulled her to him. I just rolled my eyes.

"We didn't break up. Everything is fine. He's going to meet up with us somewhere down the line. We just decided there was some other stuff that also had to be dealt with and that's what Fang is doing. Okay?" My tone told them to not ask questions because they weren't going to get answers. They all just nodded and Iggy took his hand off Nudge's mouth.

"Alright, we should get going it's only a couple hours to Virginia and we'll find a hotel when we get there."

"But can't we eat first, Max? I'm really really hungry," Nudge said.

"They're serving breakfast down stairs. But eat quick. We're leaving in fifteen minutes."

We all scattered then to eat and get the rest of our stuff together. I went back to my- and Fang's -room. Sitting on the bed I took a deep breath. I wish Fang had told me where he was going. And what he'd be doing. I really needed him here, and I don't think that he understood that.

Eventually I got myself together, grabbed my bag and made my way downstairs. After eating as much as I could, which wasn't a lot since I was sick with worry, I gathered everyone together and we were out the back door. No one was around so I said, "Up and away," and we were gone, from the last place I'd see Fang, for a very long time.

- | -

Iggy's POV

As we flew off I felt my pocket for the letter Fang had given me. He told me to give it to Max if he didn't show up within a few weeks. With the vibes rolling off of him I knew not to argue, but I also knew to not like it.

Him and Max both were missing each other. He missed her before he even left, and she was worried about him before she even woke up this morning. Her vibes went through walls. I could even feel them downstairs when we were eating breakfast. I let out a sigh. This wasn't right. I knew something about it wasn't right.

Fang should be here. Everyone needed him. Max, especially. But Nudge too. He was one of her best friends. I could tell how much she looked up to him as a brother. And he cared about her too. I knew because he had a bunch of very creative threats when he first found out about us. I believed every one of them.

_"Where are you going," I knew it was a long shot that he would answer, but I had to try._

_"I'm just going to check out some things. Make sure that the Flock is safe," he said._

_"But what does that mean? We've never really been safe. So what's this new threat that only you seem to be aware of?" I was getting angry. This was our family. If he knew something that was dangerous, we deserved to know. _

_"Don't get angry Iggy. Trust me," he paused, "This is the best way."_

_I thought about it. And Fang really wouldn't leave Max unless he had to. And more than anything else, I trusted that he would do anything to protect her from getting hurt. Which by default protects the whole flock._

_"Okay," I said, "But how will we know where to meet you later on?"_

_"I will find you." He sighed. "Don't worry. If I'm ever coming back, it will be soon."_

_"What do you mean 'if'? Would you really abandon us and Max like that?"_

_"I mean, if I survive.." His voice trailed off and before I could say anything else, he leaped from the room of the hotel and vanished. Only Fang made one mistake. Before he jumped from the room, he had a feeling so strong it nearly over powered me. Since I hadn't felt it before I knew he had been desperately trying to hide it. Fang felt scared._

_And if Fang was scared of whatever he was going to face, then we all needed to be._

I shook the thoughts out of my head, trying to just believe the whole thing was just a bad dream. We flew in silence the entire way to Virginia.

"I think we'll stop in DC. Big city. Easy to get lost in. And we can find cheap hotel near the highway," Max said. We all breathed a sigh of relief. Even after our extra relaxation, a flight like this was tiring.

"Hey Iggy," Max flew up next to me and spoke so only I could here, "You okay? You seem a little, I dunno, upset."

"No. I'm fine, Max. Just really tired." I couldn't tell her anything. I knew that. She would go chasing after Fang, even if she knew it wasn't the right thing. She couldn't think clearly when it came to him. She'd do anything just to keep him around.

- | -

Max's POV

Iggy and Gazzy were in the room on my left and the Nudge and Angel on my right. I was in a room by myself. And I didn't like it at all. I would have just gotten two rooms, but I didn't need Angel in my and no way was I sleeping in a room with the Gasman.

After taking a long, hot, relaxing shower, I still didn't feel better. I felt over tired and depressed. I wanted to see Fang. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to know he was okay.

I wanted to know if he missed me like I missed him. I wanted him to know I was trusting him.

I wanted so many things and they all related back to him.

I picked up the hotel room phone and called the boys. Iggy answered and I told him, "Order whatever you want from room service and tell them to just add it to the bill." He agreed and hung up so I could call the girls too.

After that though, I had nothing to keep me busy or even slightly distracted. Frustrated, I flipped on the TV and started scanning. I settled on one of those forensic crime solving shows that Fang loved and I hated. Crawling under the covers, I curled into a ball. Slowly but surely my eye lids felt heavy and I drifted into black.

_"Hold on, Max!" Fang shouted. "Don't let go."_

_I was holding onto the edge of the cliff. And for some reason, I didn't have wings. _

_Fang was fighting some one. I heard him land a few punches but they didn't seem to be doing anything. I heard Fang stumble back and time seemed to slow. I tried to pull myself up, but I didn't have the strength. My muscles didn't seem to be working._

_Fang stumbled over to me and looked down. With a bloody nosed and a bruised eye, that I was sure would turn black, he said, "I told you not to come. You shouldn't have come. I need you to be safe."_

_He took my hand and pulled me up from the ledge. There was a man a few yards away staggering to his feet with his back to us. I stumbled my feet as well, my arms very sore. I felt my wings glide out now, and saw Fang's do the same. He was holding my hand and gave it a small squeeze. _

_He pulled me into him and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around him, feeling tears coming to my eyes. He the began to let me go and grabbed me by the shoulders. He lowered his head a little bit to make our eye contact easy and clear. "Listen to me, Max. You need to trust me. You have to do exactly as I say, do you understand?" I nodded quickly, blinking away tears. _

_With a small smile Fang said, "That's my girl." All too soon the seriousness returned to his face and he spoke again quickly. "You need to get away from here. I need you to fly far away and not look back. You need to keep you and the Flock safe." _

_I opened my mouth to tell him that we needed him to be safe. To say that without him, I didn't want to be safe, but he knew that was coming and just shook his head. "No, Max. I have to do this. This isn't about just us. You need to trust me." He dragged out the trust. I wanted to look away __from him but couldn't. His eyes had me trapped. I nodded again, sadly, without much of a choice and tears fell down my cheeks._

_"Go now, Max," He started to loosed his grip on my shoulders. "I'll come back to you as soon as I can. I love you, Max." And he let go of me, leaving me with an empty ache, and I fell into blackness._

I shot up in bed and the covers fell down from around me. Looking around me quickly I made sure I was alone. My stomach growled and I was desperate to forget my dream so I reached for the phone to order room service. What I saw sitting neatly next to the phone made my heart stop.

It was the red laced underwear from that night at the lake with Fang. I remembered the kiss. I remembered the way my legs wrapped perfectly around him. I remembered him holding me on the dock. And us sleeping in the field with flowers.

But mostly I remembered the kiss. The need, the want, the desire; it was unforgettable.

I smiled as tears fell onto the cloth in my hands. "Oh, Fang, you sexist pig."

* * *

**What did you think? I hoped you liked it.**

**I meant to get here a lot sooner, but unfortunately it took me 11 chapters. There will be a lot in Iggy's POV now. Mostly him and Max. Farther down the line, way farther, maybe a little Fang. Maybe.**

**Review if you'd like. They make me happy, but you don't have to. Oh, but if you do tell me what you think of the ending.**

**(Basically, Fang was in the hotel room checking up on, Max if you didn't get that.)  
**


End file.
